Living with Autism - the latest column by The Autistic Journalist Tyler Ody

By Tyler Ody - 7 November 2024

Opinion and Features

Hey everybody - in this month’s column I will be talking about cleanliness and hygiene as I like to be clean and tidy.

I love to be clean and keep up on my appearance like most people, as I can’t stand being dirty and smelling unhygienic. 

So I like to wear fresh clothes each day and look smart, especially if I am going somewhere special.

If I go out for the day or to work I will make sure to wear something smart and casual so I feel on trend. I can be a bit OCD with my clothes and the way I tidy my belongings up.

When I unload the dishwasher I have to have the cups in a certain order and put the cutlery facing up.

My CD collection has to be in order from debut to latest release order but I will know if it is in the wrong order as I will put it back in its right place.

 I like to have things organised and in place so I can keep on top. When I polish and dust my bedroom I will dust everything down, ranging from my stereo to picture frames.

I will even polish the light switch, lampshade and back of the door and I will make sure to hoover every corner of my bedroom and dust the skirting boards, as I have to make sure everything is neat and dust free, and I quite like hoovering as I find it quite therapeutic.

Another thing I like to do, like most of the population, is to take a bath or a shower. I like to relax after a busy day or after working out at the gym as I like to get rid of the smell of sweat and it makes me feel good and relaxed.

On the subject of the gym, after I've used the equipment I always like to clean the machines after I use them as it makes me feel good to clean them before anyone else uses them. 

What I like about our gym is that there is always a spray and blue roll on hand to use to clean the equipment after use.

If I have a cup of tea I like a fresh clean cup but I can’t use the same cup after I've drunk out of it as I like to have a fresh cup if I have another.

When I go to the office or the radio station I like to keep my desk tidy and make sure it’s all organised and I like to keep my work I saved in certain folders which make it tidy and easy to work around them.

All in all I'm a very clean person like most of the population - and especially people with autism like to be clean as they all have different ways to keep clean. 

I hope you all enjoy reading this column about cleanliness and hygiene. I will see you all next month.

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